  |
  |
| August 6, 2003 |
 |
Reproduction of Beer from Egypt's New Kingdom Period Second Phase of the Beer of Ancient Egypt Re-creation Project |
 |
 |
|||||||||||||
|
Kirin Brewery Company, Limited (Koichiro Aramaki, President), in the second phase of its project to reproduce the beer of ancient Egypt, has employed an experimental archaeological technique to reproduce as faithfully as possible the beer of the New Kingdom period. This project is part of an ongoing study Kirin launched in 2001 of the history, science and culture of beer, in order to elucidate the beer-making process depicted in Egyptian wall paintings.
Kirin reproduced the beer of the Old Kingdom in 2002, validating a new hypothesis regarding beer brewing that contradicted conventional theories. For this latest effort, wall paintings found in the tomb of Kenamun were used to elucidate the process ofbrewing of the New Kingdom period, validating hypotheses regarding beer brewing at that time. This latest effort refutes the conventional theory that bread was baked, soaked in water to make a mash and fermented naturally with the yeast in the air. Rather, it reinforces the theory that brewing in ancient Egypt employed sophisticated and systematic management of microorganisms, and shows that there were several different methods for producing beer. The reproduced beer has an alcohol content of 8%, in contrast to the 3% previously theorized. Because it contains almost no carbonation there is hardly any foam, and as unrefined liquor that retains a slight color of dates, it is significantly different from contemporary beers. It also contains a high lactic acid content that gives the beer a distinct tartness and a feel on the palate similar to yogurt, making it distinct from beer of the Old Kingdom, which has a taste similar to white wine and an alcohol content of 10%. The process of making New Kingdom beer began with cultivation of yeast, a primary fermentation, and then a secondary fermentation. One of the unique characteristics of New Kingdom beer is how the yeast was cultivated. In brewing Old Kingdom beer the yeast was cultivated while the mixture was still a liquid (liquid fermentation), with lactic acid added to control the growth of contaminating bacteria. In New Kingdom beer the yeast was cultivated in a low-moisture dough (solid fermentation), with contaminants kept under control through high concentrations of alcohol. Another key difference is that while Old Kingdom beer was made with a one-step fermentation, the making of New Kingdom beer employed a two-step fermentation process. For Old Kingdom beer the mash in which the yeast was cultivated was filtered and mixed with sweet wort for fermentation, while for New Kingdom beer the dough in which the yeast was cultured was thinned with water and date juice added for the primary fermentation. Wheat malt bread and wheat malt flour were then added for the secondary fermentation. Kirin has been conducting research into the beer of ancient Egypt for many years. As a result of recent research, a new hypothesis about beer making emerged from comparative studies of 11 different wall paintings provided by Egyptologist Sakuji Yoshimura, Professor at Waseda University. In 2001 Kirin launched the Beer of Ancient Egypt Re-creation Project to elucidate the process of brewing and validate this hypothesis through experimental archaeology. In the future Kirin plans to reproduce the Gruit beer of medieval Europe, and the first beer ever made in Japan, dating back to the Edo period (1603-1868 A.D.). As reflected in its corporate slogan, Ureshi wo, tsugi tsugi to ("Happiness, time after time"), the Kirin Group seeks to create value that enriches everyday life. We will continue to study the culture and history surrounding our mainstay business of beer, thereby adding to its enjoyment. Notes:
Supplementary Material:
Images:
New Kingdom recipe/Kenamun's beer (yields about 4 liters per pot) Old Kingdom recipe/Niankhkhnum's beer (yields about 4 liters per pot) Inquiries regarding this press release:
Consumer inquiries:
Web site:
|
|||||||||||||
|
Re-creating New Kingdom Beer |
|
Production Methods Production Process 1. Yeast Cultivation Making Sourdough: A sourdough starter* and water are added to wheat malt flour, kneaded, and left to rest for approximately two and a half days, until a sufficiently acidic flavor is obtained.
Baking of Conical Bread: Wheat malt flour and water are kneaded into bread dough, placed in a conical mold and baked. Heating converts a portion of the starch into sugar. The bread is then broken into small pieces. Solid Fermentation (aerobic fermentation): Date wine is added to the wheat malt flour, the sourdough and bread pieces, and kneaded into a dough (aerobic fermentation*). The dough is rolled flat, stacked several layers high, and left for one day. Rolling the dough flat exposes more surface area to the air, storing energy for the propagation of yeast contained on the wheat and dates.
Solid Fermentation in Clay Vessels (anaerobic fermentation): The flat dough is placed in clay vessels and left to further ferment for three and a half days. The vessels are packed tightly, cutting off the supply of oxygen (anaerobic fermentation*), so the yeast feeds upon the sugars and produces alcohol.
2. Primary Fermentation The dough is thinned with water in a ratio of 6:7, and fermented for one day. Thinning with water reinvigorates the yeast, which is weakened by the alcohol it produces. Filtered date juice is added, and left to ferment for another day. 3. Secondary Fermentation More wheat malt bread and wheat malt flour are added, and left to ferment for approximately a day and a half. The working of the enzymes (amylase) in the wheat malt converts the starch from the bread into sugar. The yeast then decomposes the sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide gas. Key Points in Making New Kingdom Beer 1. Differences between New Kingdom and Old Kingdom beer
2.Differences with the previous theory that baked bread was soaked in water, and left to ferment naturally with yeast from the air
|
|
Characteristics of New Kingdom Beer Appearance A slight color of dates, and the look of yogurt. Because it contains almost no carbonation, there is hardly any foam. *Old Kingdom beer also has little foam, but is clear, and so closer in appearance to modern beers. Alcohol Content Approximately 8% *The previous hypothesis was 3%. Old Kingdom beer contains 10%. Lactic Acid Content 3,500 to 7,000 mg/l The lactic acid content is extremely high, giving a very sour taste. *Kirin's regular beer has a lactic acid content of around 100 mg/l. The content varies by product. *Old Kingdom beer has a lactic acid content of 1,000 to 3,000 mg/l. Other Characteristics -- There is no bitterness of hops, giving it a taste that is fundamentally different from modern beers. -- Feel on the palate like yogurt. Project Timeline Progress to Date
Future Steps (tentative)
|
 |
